Texas pitchers Matt West, left, and Wilmer Font joke around during the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers at Texas Rangers baseball spring training in Surprise, AZ on Wednesday, February 13, 2013. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News)

But duo said the Tigers won't deal Porcello unless they get a "strong" return and that Detroit rejected an aggressive offer from San Diego last week.

Rosenthal and Morosi wrote that the Rangers don't appeared to be in "advanced" talks yet with Detroit, but that the Tigers have identified SS Leury Garcia and RHP Nick Tepesch as potential targets in any trade, although they would also want a third player. The Rangers, according to the report, would be hesitant to even include Tepesch, who has impressed coaches in spring training and could start the year as the Rangers' No. 5 starter.

Porcello, 24, was just 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 176.1 innings for Detroit last season, but he's a ground ball pitcher who could excel in Rangers Ballpark. He's also a workhorse in his time with the Tigers, averaging 30 starts a season in his four years in Detroit.

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